Some of the natural polysaccharides are characterized by immunostimulant and other pharmacological properties. The main carrier of the immunostimulant activity in natural polysaccharides are those polysaccharides, which have the β-(1,3)-D-glycosidic bond in the principal polysaccharide chain. It has been proven that immunoglucanes enhance immunity against various bacterial and virus diseases, they exhibit anticancer activity, potentiate the effect in radiotherapy and chemotherapy of of oncological patients.
Immunostimulant polysaccharides exist in cell walls of bacteria, yeasts and several fungi, especially of the Basidiomycetes genus. Immunopharmacologically active substances, to which the β-(1,3)-D-glycanes belong, are able to nonspecifically modify an extensive set of bacterial, fungal, parasitical and virus diseases. The mechanism of glucan action differs considerably from that of chemotherapeutics and antibiotics.
An immunostimulant glucan is according to the SK patent No. 282870 isolated from fruiting bodies of oyster mushroom, preferably from its stems by defibering, subsequent bleaching with hydrogen peroxide at a temperature of 15 to 25° C. for 15 to 24 hours in a medium of sodium hydroxide solution. The defibering is performed within 26 hours after picking the oyster mushrooms, which are stored at a temperature of 4 to 8° C., in a medium of an at least double amount of aqueous sodium or potassium carbonate solution with a concentration of 0.05 to 0.15% by weight, pH of the solution being 8 to 9, for 1 to 8 minutes. This results in a reaction suspension with the enzymatic activity of the present β-(1,3)-D-glucanase eliminated. From this suspension glucan is obtained by filtration and thorough washing. The glucan is then squeezed, dehydrated with ethanol and dried.
The aim of the present invention is recovery of glucan in the form of hydrogel, which is more active then the so far prepared glucan in the form of a powder.